last friday

They flew in by the million-- microscopic, six-sided. Their work was quick.

Indiscriminate, they coated every inch of life in a crystallized, sub-zero shell, taking down hundred-year-old trees in a matter of minutes. Years of progress, growth, advancement-- undone. Water pipes burst, cars crashed, power lines snapped.

And the kids all cheered, because school was canceled.

bombs shmombs

In Baghdad, men and women are ignoring the threat of bomb attacks and hitting up literary salons. Afternoons are spent sipping tea, passing porridge, smoking cigs, and reading Iraqi poetry aloud-- a centuries old tradition that was not too recently outlawed under the rule of Saddam Hussein.

You can read the full story on the New York Times' website, HERE. It's the sort of article that I think we all wish we could write one day.

ესე იგი

Not too long ago, I got an E-mail from a friend who is volunteering for the Peace Corps in Georgia (Republic Of). As an elementary school teacher, he'd decided to compile a book for the lower half of his English classes-- made up of brief one-paragraph sketches about American life. Topic suggestions included stories about cities, states, American culture, etc.

The responses so far have been great-- among them include colorful descriptions of California, cheeseburgers, movies, and The Willis Tower (formerly known as The Sears). I wrote mine about baseball:

"Baseball is the national pastime of the United States. There are two teams, and the object of the game is to see which team can score the most runs. One team plays in the field, while the other team bats. A pitcher throws the ball to the batters box, where batter tries to hit it with his bat. If the batter hits the ball, he tries to run to first base before the fielders on the other team can throw the ball there. If the batter doesn't hit the ball, he strikes out, unless he gets walked, or hit by the pitch. If the batter can make it around first, second, third, and home base safely without getting thrown out, he scores a run. But when the other team gets three outs, the inning is over and the teams switch places. They do this nine times, and then the game is over. If the teams are tied, then they keep playing till somebody wins. Many Americans think baseball is easy to understand because they grew up playing it and watching it. But it is actually very complicated."

At the end of his E-mail, my friend invited us to pass his idea on to anyone who "may be interested and who is capable of writing a short paragraph. So here here's your chance-- let me know if you want in and I'll forward you the info.

patterson fletcher

I'm making a futile attempt at following in my Grandfather's footsteps by submitting some cartoons to my college's newspaper. Here's the first one!

What he was remembered for.

nanooks 4 life

A friend sent this video to me today. His message said: "If I ever get reincarnated, it better be as an Alaska Nanook." Heartily agreed-- I think I'll even forward this to the editors of "ULTIMATE MALE MAGAZINE."

haiti round - up

Unimaginable news from Haiti last week. Devastating. I can't even begin to comment. Thankfully, there are others who can, and have. Here is a round-up of some of the most interesting / helpful articles that I've read on the topic over the past week:

"Rising From The Ruins" by Kevin Rozario, Wall Street Journal

"What are the lessons of the disaster? It is becoming clear that a major contributing factor was poverty. The earth moves; that much is unchanging. But a disaster on this scale only happens when plates shift underneath a city with poorly constructed buildings, failing infrastructure and inadequate social services. Poverty played a central role here."

"Does God Hate Haiti?" by Albert Mohler (from Mohler's website)

"The earthquake in Haiti, like every other earthly disaster, reminds us that creation groans under the weight of sin and the judgment of God. This is true for every cell in our bodies, even as it is for the crust of the earth at every point on the globe. The entire cosmos awaits the revelation of the glory of the coming Lord. Creation cries out for the hope of the New Creation."

"The Underlying Tragedy" by David Brooks, New York Times

"It’s time to promote locally led paternalism. In this country, we first tried to tackle poverty by throwing money at it, just as we did abroad. Then we tried microcommunity efforts, just as we did abroad. But the programs that really work involve intrusive paternalism... It’s time to find self-confident local leaders who will create No Excuses countercultures in places like Haiti, surrounding people — maybe just in a neighborhood or a school — with middle-class assumptions, an achievement ethos and tough, measurable demands."

"Pat Robertson On Disasters: Consistently Wrong" by John Mark Reynolds, First Things

"Pat Robertson’s statements on Haiti are bad theology, bad philosophy, bad history, and bad pastorally. It is tempting not to pile on in the case of a fellow believer who is older, does a great deal of good through charity, and has a long habit of saying this sort of thing. Robertson, however, remains a public figure and there is some chance that ill-informed Christians might take his view seriously."

"For Once, Poorest Escape Disaster's Brunt" by Dionne Searcy and Kevin Noblet, Wall Street Journal

"While countless bigger, multi-story homes, churches and offices on the hillsides of Port-au-Prince fell in the earthquake, crushing tens of thousands of people beneath their heavy concrete, the flimsy tin-roofed shanties of the slums fared much better. In Cite Soleil, the biggest, poorest seafront slum, there was significant destruction to two large churches, but not to people's homes. Most shacks stood upright."

And last but not least, some helpful verses from the Bible. Habakkuk, of all books (1.2-5):

Habakkuk's complaint : "O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you "Violence!" and you will not save? Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you look idly at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted."

The Lord's answer: "Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told."